Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Corhellas’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Corhellas’, characterized by its medium sized blooms with orange ray florets combined with a bronze center and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 20-27; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Corhellas’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoorpot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating newchrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural seasonflower date around September 20-27 (week 39), blooming for a period of 5weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new anddistinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant. ‘Corhellas’ is a seedlingresulting from a crossing program, which was set up by a previousbreeder, and which records are unknown to the inventor. The new anddistinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant byMark Roland Boeder on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlandsin 2001. The first act of asexual production of ‘Corhellas’ wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, TheNetherlands, and propagated further at this location. The new cultivarhas been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughsuccessive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands undernatural day length and temperature and planted in week 24 in 2004. Thenatural blooming date of this crop was September 20-27 (week 39). Theaverage height of the plants was 25 cms. No growth retardants were used.No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. Notests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety producesmedium sized blooms with orange ray florets and a bronze center bloomingfor a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarsin comparison to ‘Corhellas’ are ‘Iduna’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,925)and ‘Mars’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,678). When ‘Corhellas’, ‘Iduna’ and‘Mars’ are being compared the following similarities and differences arenoticed: All three varieties have medium sized two tone blooms with adark center. The differences of ‘Corhellas’ and ‘Iduna’ and ‘Mars’ is(1) Natural flowering date. (1) When planted in week 24, ‘Iduna’ and‘Mars’ flower at a later date than ‘Corhellas’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Corhellas’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘CORHELLAS’ Bud Size Small;cross-section 0.5 cm, height 0.3 cm Outside Color Yellow-green 144DInvolucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bractsamong Not present disc-florets Involucral bracts color Green 138C BloomType Decorative Height 1 cm Size Medium Fully Expanded 4-5 cm Pedunclelength 7 cm Peduncle color Green 143C-143D Number of blooms per branchApprox. 7 blooms per branch Performance on the plant 5 weeks SeedsProduced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length.Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flowerImmature Greyed-red 178A Mature Greyed-yellow 160A Color of uppersurface of the ray- Yellow-orange 21B to florets Greyed-orange 163CColor of the lower surface of the Greyed-orange 166C ray-floretsTonality from Distance A garden mum with orange flowers and a bronzedisc Discoloration to color Greyed-orange 163C Ray florets Texture Upperand under side smooth Number 160-180 Cross-section Flat Longitudinalaxis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.4 cm Ray-floretmargin Entire Ray-floret length 2.2 cm Ray-floret width 0.4 cm Ratiolength/width High Shape of tip Dentate Disc florets Disc diameter 0.5 cmDistribution of disc florets Few, only visible in mature stage ShapeTubular Color Yellow-green 154D Receptacle shape Conical raisedReproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc florets only Stamen colorYellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Styles ThickStyle color Yellow 13A Style Length 0.4 cm Stigma color Yellow-green144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as aspray type potmum, outdoor mounded and round Growth habit Sphericalshape Growth rate Medium Height 25 cm Width 45 cm Stem ColorGreyed-brown 199C with at base Greyed-Red 182C Stem Strength Strong StemBrittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Present at base ofstem Internode lenght 2.5-3 cm Length of lateral branch From top tobottom 17-19 cm Lateral branch color Green 138A-B Lateral branch,attachment Medium Branching Good with 8-10 breaks after (average numberof pinching lateral branches) Natural season blooming date September20-27 Foilage Leaf color Upper side Green 139A-139B Under side Green138A-138B Color midvein Upper side Green 139D Under side Green 138D SizeMedium; length 6-9 cm, width 4-6 cm Quantity 13-15 (number per lateralbranch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under sidePubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin SerratedShape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral Lobes Margin of SinusBetween Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base Acute/obtuse ApexMucronulate Petiole lenght 1-2 cm Petiole color Green 139D

TABLE 2 Differences with the Comparison varieties ‘Corhellas’ ‘Iduna’‘Mars’ Bloom size 4-5 cm 4.5-5 cm 4.5-5 cm Color center Greyed-redGreyed-red 179A Greyed-red 179A immature bloom 178A Color upperYellow-orange Yellow-orange Yellow-orange side ray-florets 21B to 22C22B Greyed-orange 163C Natural September October 4-11 October 11-18flowering 20-27 date (when planted in week 24)

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.